Democrat submits resolution to impeach Cheney

April 26, 2007

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) has submitted a resolution for the impeachment of United States Vice President Dick Cheney.

Resolution HR 333 contains three articles, the first two holding Cheney responsible for manipulating intelligence to fabricate a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and allege a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda, in order to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against Iraq.

The third article alleges that Cheney has threatened aggression against Iran despite the absence of any real threat from Iran, thus undermining the national security of the US.

On April 17, Kucinich had sent a letter to his Democratic colleagues saying that he planned to file impeachment proceedings against Cheney, without specifying the charges to be brought.

Kucinich planned to introduce the impeachment articles on April 24, 2007, but in light of Cheney's surprise doctor's visit to inspect a blood clot, Kucinich decided to postpone the scheduled press conference "until the vice president's condition is clarified."

Impeachment in the United States may be undertaken only for "treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors." Congress traditionally regards impeachment as a power to be used only in extreme cases; the House of Representatives has initiated impeachment proceedings only 62 times since 1789. Two cases, including that of former President Richard Nixon, did not come to trial because the individuals had left office.

Actual impeachments of federal officers have taken place only seventeen times.